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Blues Sign Rising Star to New Contract

The St. Louis Blues locked in one of their top players with a new contract.

Jacob Punturi

Oct 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jake Neighbours (63) skates against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jake Neighbours (63) skates against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images / Caean Couto-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Blues are off and running this season. With a 4-2 record through six games, they appear to be a scrappy team that will give the Central Division fits all year long. They look to extend their winning ways with a divisional matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on a historic day of NHL action.

One of the most pivotal players for the Blues is scoring winger Jake Neighbours. The 22-year-old forward broke out in a major way last season, just his second in the NHL. He registered 27 goals, 11 assists, and 38 points over 77 games. The performance carved out a role in the top-six for Neighbours and it also earned him a nice contract extension as this season begins.

Multiple NHL insiders, including Frank Seravalli, reported that the Blues signed Neighbours to a two-year contract extension. The new deal will pay him a total of $7.5 million, carrying an average annual value of $3.75 million.

The Blues selected Neighbours with the 26th pick of the 2020 NHL Draft out of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his draft year, he recorded 70 points over 64 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings, which caught St. Louis' attention. Injuries would cut both of his following seasons in the WHL short, but he made his presence known by maintaining over a point-per-game average in that span.

Neighbours debuted initially with the Blues during the 2021-2022 season, when the team gave him a nine-game stint with the NHL club before returning him to the WHL. His real rookie season would be the following year, when he scored 10 points over 43 games.

So far this season, Neighbours looked like he would match or exceed that 27-goal mark. He's been playing most of his shifts on the wing alongside the incredibly talented Pavel Buchnevich and fellow youngster Zac Bolduc. The trio is clicking, and Neighbours has two goals and an assist over the first six games. Now signed in for the next two seasons, the Blues have one of their rising stars under contract while he continues entering his prime years.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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